Perfluoroelastomers have long been used in a variety of applications that require excellent resistance to high temperature and chemical attack. One particularly outstanding class of fluoropolymers that has been used in elastomeric applications is that prepared from tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluoro (alkyl vinyl) ether, and particularly perfluoro (methyl vinyl) ether (PMVE). To facilitate the crosslinking in these copolymers that is essential to good elastomeric properties, a small percentage of termonomer is generally incorporated.
While these perfluoroelastomers have been used successfully in the past, a continuing need exists for high performance materials which can be coated onto a substrate from a solution, and which exhibit an exceptionally high degree of purity.